The Tools of Prop Making: Tested Tours Volpin Props' Workshop 

Speaking of Volpin Props, we challenged Harrison Krix to make a realistic Needler gun from Halo Reach. Here's the result: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-pssuG0pK0d4.html

this guy was so much more personable and entertaining than so many of tested's guests. make him a regular contributor!

Is it just me or are all prop makers really awesome and humble people?

This guy is so ridiculously well spoken and articulate. For some reason, I kept picturing him as a young Adam Savage. Call me crazy.

I don't know if you read these comments, but when you're doing thermo forming, you should get Y split adapter and hook up a small compressor tank to the mold. This will allow you to reverse the airflow and the plastic will be pushed upwards, separating the mold from the plastic. You may need to secure the mold to a platform if its too light. Also, to prevent the webbing you get, simply slide a board between the two object as the plastic is being vacuumed. I do commercial and industrial scale plastic forming. Just thought I'd give a few helpful tips.

Guy has talent, doing what he loves lucky guy.

I'd sell my soul to work for/with him. The fact that hes made it possible to make a living out of this, is absolutely insane. Im so jelly

As a costume maker for over 20 years and forming and also leather work, I can say you sir, Harrison are a true inspiration to people that want to do. Your work is incredible. Hands down some of the best I have seen, and I have worked for LFL and worked with GG on a project. You sir are a class act and also a true gem in this industry.

We had vacuum former at school workshop. This is one of the best machines ever. The ease of making any kind of shapes or exteriors is amazing.

I have built up my gunsmithing business just like this. Baby steps, make money, reinvest in tools; repeat. Thank you for continued inspiration.

I like this Erik. I never saw a video of him before, only read his comment here on the site. He is friendly, knowledgeable about other people, and well spoken. And I rarely have anything witty to say, not that my humor is really funny much outside of my own head.

super cool guy, made his hobby to his life work

Follow your dreams and do what you love ,this guy is an excellent example of just that philosophy. 👍🏻

what an awesome guy so inspirational

I've only been into prop replica making since 2010, starting with a screen-accurate proton pack and GB costume, and been working at more since. This guy looks to be the example I want to follow in the coming years (maybe not quitting my job, but definitely matching his drive and quality). Keep up the awesome work, man. You're an inspiration to many!

This guy is a man after my own heart. I would love to make props for a living.

I like this guy. I never saw a video of him before, only read his work on his site. He is Friendly, knowledgeable, well spoken and talented. And I rarely have anything nice to say about people, not that my opinion is really worth much outside my own head.

What a great guy; fun, not awkward in front of the camera and super skilled and knowledgeable

He seems like such a chill dude, big respect for starting from the ground up too, especially with the quality of props he puts out

I've been watching this guy off and on over the years. His Big Daddy from bioshock and the fallout gun props are legendary.

Brilliant stuff, very nice workshop he's built up and I love the fact that he built and still uses the Aperture branded vac former.

Volpin is amazing! Nothing makes me happier then seeing him as a down to earth guy! Keep killing it!

Car audio is nearly all plug and play, and when you work at a big box store like Best Buy, they simplify it even further. I understood basic DC electrical systems and resistance, but nothing like setting up LEDs for PWM in order to extend battery life, or designing my own circuit boards. There's a world of difference!

It's always nice to see these workshop tours.

Fun idea: film an episode with Norm's hands tied behind his back.

this guy has very likable quality to this guy. i hope he is doin well

you are the man, ive been following you since the early days good to see you can finally do this full time

This is the only channel I like absolutely EVERYTHING for. Is there like a subscription or something for more content? I'd pay for tested.

the prop building community seem like the most wholesome and helpful community ever LUL. It is like one of those "I'm so proud of this community" meme.

What a nice bloke. Great vid.

Hint for Harrison: High density green sign foam is what you were supposed to use and the secret is many layers of Bin primer with light sanding sessions in between. Seriously, 5 or 6 layers is sometimes needed but it creates a rather hard shell in the end. It sits sort of in between a touch and a no touch model.

Reminds me of Craft Shop at school when I was younger. In craft we did simple electronics, plastics and combined some wood and metal working. One project we had to make a smooth bowl shape out of 20mm thick wood and make a wooden frame to fit around it with a 5mm gap. We then heated these 5mm thick sheets of plastic in an oven to they where soft and dropped them over the shape. Then we quickly pressed the outer ring down around the object before it had time to cool to make a small plastic plate

Dear Will and Norm, you guys should feature more Volpin prop tuts. Thanks.

I really like how he used his space, it's a "small" garage but it still look very spacious.

This guy is so great at talking to people.

oh man. I first saw his work a few years ago and he's so good and its really inspiring. I just hope that one day I can make props as well as he does

The name Megamaid for the vacuum former is great, I'm glad to see there are lots of Spaceballs fans out there...

Definitely check out Harrison's Twitch stream if you can. He's an incredibly cool and down to earth dude, and when he can he's very talkative with the chat and great for sharing what he knows (and learning from others).

very awesome. im glad you made it. shows you dont need school when the passion for something teaches you on its own. i hope you get more succes over time. P.S you should make 3-D Maneuver gear. js. it'd be pretty cool.

I've been following this guy for a few years now, he's incredibly talented with a great eye for detail. He has a Steve Jobs thing about him that is very interesting.

Please do more shop tours with tool demonstrations!

This guy works the way I started, taking on projects that I had no idea how I was going to complete then busting my butt until I figured it out.

Need the daft punk helmet!

Excellent, one of the best Tested video's yet.

Very interesting chap! Much respect too for giving up the day job to pursue it.

Good for Volpin. I love do this as a hobby, but my lack of patience ends up overlapping quality. Happy to see people happy doing what they do :)

I like this guy. Hope he does well with his business.

The Portal gun looks awesome. WANT!

He took such a huge risk, with such passion, and from it became so successful.

This video inspired me to make props and now I make lots of money making props and I'm only 15 years old thank you :)

I decided after this video I'm going to start designing concept art for guns in 3D.

I don't understand why I am constantly seeing comments ragging on Norm. He is one of the best interviewers I have seen. He asks the best questions.

This guys needs his own RU-vid Channel.

the portal gun looks amazing even the scares makes it look more real

This should be me.

oh my gosh, this is so amazing. wish I had the time to learn the skill that he has achieved..

Very cool and informative as someone beginning work into his own props. I'm about to start using bondo myself along with needing to buy a dremel and palm sander for the tools I need.

props to Volpin Props for the amazing props

The only video I watched of Volpin Props was the Daft Punk helmet (Thomas) and I was shocked how good it turned out!!!

volpin is such an inspiration

As someone looking to make tools to make the props I want to make, this is an incredibly helpfull video

Dude, you are awesome. I want to say god bless you for following your passion but as I am an Atheist, I will say you are the man. I wish I were as bold as to constantly research and learn to perfect a craft, let alone many crafts, as you have done. You are the quintessential maker, artiste, inventor, builder, scientist. I wish to be imbued by the same spirit of your craftsmanship someday. I am a maker at heart but lack the will to produce such beauties. And as such, I will never afford the luxury of faster tools to craft the goods I want to make. Regardless of all this, keep doing what you are doing. You are setting a precedent for younger creators who hopefully follow, learning from your mistakes, and aren't afraid to grasp beyond their current capabilities.

he sounds like a cross between Mark Meer and Stephan hawkins. he's as smart as the both of them combined :D keep up the good work :D

this guy is amazing doing what he loves and brilliant at it

Rad shop! Thanks for the tour

He inspired me to do my robot helmet. It was a shoddy work of cardboard and fiberglass, but you gotta start somewhere.

That is really cool how you described video-game companies as opposed to movie companies. Movies step in and say no, video-games give you concept art months before the game releases.

One of the best videos on tested would love more like these

Back in 2014, I bought a guymanuel and Thomas helmet from him right when his buisinus partner left and he was awesome and did his best to get the helmets to me in time for the convention.

how could I missed this video?!?!?! I his fan since his first Zelda stuff * -*

Thanks for the demonstration of the vacuum former! This whole video was interesting and informative.

Lord he's good looking. And that's very true: all but the most basic of tools are just there to make things go faster and easier.

Thanks for this video. Harrison does amazing work. I've been following him on flickr, fb, and his blog for some time but I'm excited to see this behind-the-scenes shot of his shop!

I remember this guy he is old but was cool I love his halo stuff that he made and he is doing great im a great big fan of his work I hope he makes halo helmets like reach halo 3 halo 2 halo 4 and halo halo 1 and halo 3 ODST and halo guns I m happy that he is still doing this

I've never been so interested in someone's garage!!! So inspiring!!! ^-^

This video is fantastic. More like this, please.

One big thing to learn in crafting like this is IMPROVISATION.

I love that aperture logo on the Little Greek

This guy should get his video series on tested

Absolutely amazing.

found this while going through daft punk helmet stuff haha, cant believe adam savage tested has been going since 2013

the ZSU-7532 might be a german temporary/export plate, because they have this little orange bit on them, but they usually don't have a dash on the plate

What great fun show and tell! Thanks for the video!

I wish I was as cool as him :) He also sounds like a really really nice person.

Awesome props. That is a dream come true. I'm hoping to eventually do stuff props via 3D printing/milling machines, though I doubt anything can be as satisfying as practical creation. PS. Norm is getting very good with interviews.

Congrats volpin!

This video is amazing as i want to be a prop and set maker and i am taking a course in it.

I wonder if this guy could make a fully operational Wheetley?!

Harrison is my hero

electronics as in electronic circuitry, car audio involves an amp (connected to an audio source) that is then wired to the rest of the car's speakers, which doesn't involve wiring boards or electronics.

This is awesome, great job Norm

I want that daft punk helmet sooooooo bad!!!!! Ohmygod its a thing of beauty!

Windlesstea, his head is probably a prop too. Great video Guy has talent

Amazing stuff kiddo. Much respect 👍👍👍

great interview... seems like a great guy!

This dude is my fucking hero. Wish I had 1/10th the experience he has.

Harrison im 13 and i would like advice to be a prop maker. Because i thought and thought for days on what i wanted to be when I'm older and this is it! i enjoy making things , they look good but i know i could do better.

Loved this video! Loved the props, the passion everything.

I love how Harrison went out of his way not to point the portal gun directly at Norm lol

I really want to get into this